


Alec's Choice

by magicandarchery



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 08:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6559276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicandarchery/pseuds/magicandarchery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when you force a loyal person to choose between you and someone else, and Magnus meets Max</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alec's Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Borrowed a couple of quotes from the show and modified them to fit this scene.

It wasn’t uncommon for Magnus to return home in the evening from a client and see Alec in the loft, since he was there most of the time, sometimes stretched out on the leather sofa poring over a thick book or, on some rarer occasions, in bed asleep. But what was uncommon was to see Alec just sitting in one of the velvet armchairs, staring blankly toward the Brooklyn skyline just outside the loft’s windows, the only light filtering in from the lights of the city and the brightness of the moon overhead.

The tension radiated from Alec’s body, his jaw and shoulders set, arms crossed just below his chest. Magnus recognized Alec’s defenses instantly and cursed silently.  _ Dammit, Maryse, what did you do now? _

But even as he thought it Magnus knew. It had been the same thing over the past year every time Maryse paid a visit from Idris. Magnus, Isabelle, Jace, and Clary, hell even Simon, would all work to put all of Alec’s broken pieces into place only to have them shattered again when Maryse arrived. And seeing Alec shattered and broken broke something in Magnus every single time.

Magnus kicked off his shoes and crossed over to Alec, sliding his hands onto Alec’s shoulders and starting to knead gently. Magnus hadn’t expected him to relax instantly, but when Alec wasn’t relaxing at all, Magnus furrowed his brow and leaned over the back of the chair, his arms encircling Alec’s shoulders from behind.

“How bad?” he asked gently.

Alec just shook his head and closed his eyes but reached up to curl his hand around Magnus’ wrist, holding on as though it were his lifeline. “It’s not worth repeating,” Alec answered in a hushed voice. “I get that she doesn’t care for the choice I made, that I chose you. But she doesn’t even try. She doesn’t …” Alec cut himself off and just shrugged and shook his head again.

Magnus understood. Maryse had been very clear with Alec immediately following the wedding that she wasn’t angry that he was gay. That she could accept, almost. It was his choice of a Downworlder, Magnus specifically, that had upset her. And she had made sure Alec knew it every time she was in town. 

Magnus had dealt with the sort of intolerance that Maryse displayed his entire life. In some ways it had gotten better, but they were rare instances from rare individuals.

Magnus stood up straight again, sliding his arm from Alec’s grip. He padded over to the stand he kept select liquors on and poured both of them a drink. “That is the world we live in, Alexander.” he said as he poured. His voice was low and without its usual flair.

“That doesn’t mean you just have to accept it or get used to it,” Alec fired back, a little more harshly than he meant to.

“And I haven’t,” Magnus sat on the leather sofa, arms resting on his knees, a drink in each hand. “But trying for centuries to change the perception of Downworlders hasn’t worked so,” he paused and shrugged, offering one of the drinks to Alec. “I just don’t get worked up over it anymore.”

Alec stood and crossed the short space between the chair and the sofa, taking the drink Magnus offered. He sat as Magnus rested an arm along the sofa’s back, pressing his back to Magnus’s side, head against his shoulder. “I walked out,” Alec said and took a sip of his drink. “Just up and left the only place I can remember living, and I can’t honestly see it being easy to go back.”

To be honest, the Institute hadn’t felt like home to Alec in a good, long while, and Magnus sensed that in the tone of Alec’s voice. There was no disappointment, no anxiety or worry about where he would go or what he would do or what came next. There was just certainty in what he said.

“Alexander,” Magnus started and cleared his throat, shrugging a little. “Have you thought that … maybe you’re home now?”

Alec pulled Magnus’s arm around him. “I know I am.”

\---

“Where is Alec?” Maryse demanded, walking briskly into the Institute’s central hub.

“Where he needs to be,” Isabelle answered cooly. “Away from you.”

Maryse stared at Isabelle in stunned silence. She kept expecting Isabelle to look up from the computer screen but Izzy didn’t so much as blink in her mother’s direction.

“Isabelle,” Maryse started sternly but stopped when Isabelle finally glanced up and turned to look at her, fire blazing in her dark eyes.

“You don’t get it, do you mother?” Isabelle started as she stood up. “You don’t get how what you say, what you do, how you act, affects Alec. You don’t see how every time you speak out against Magnus you push Alec further and further away.”

From the opposite side of the room, Robert was watching the exchange, Maryse standing straight and tall, Isabelle standing in a protective stance, even though she wasn’t physically protecting anyone. There was a strength in Isabelle that Robert had never seen before as she stood there, going against her mother.

“You don’t have to like Magnus, mother. But Alec made a choice and out of respect for him you do at least need to try and be civil.”

“Alec let his emotions get the best of him,” Maryse’s voice was even.

“And what is so wrong with letting love get the best of you?” Isabelle challenged, crossing her arms. “If there is one thing that I have learned it’s that love makes us stronger. Not that you would have noticed that with Alec.”

Maryse inhaled deeply, keeping herself steady. “When Alec gets back, I need to speak with him.”

“He’s not coming back,” Isabelle’s voice was softer as she spoke but still firm. “You’ve pushed him too far this time.”

Without a word Maryse turned and stormed out.

\---

Alec woke to bright sunlight streaming into the room and the scents of fresh coffee and pancakes. He sat up, sheets falling away from his bare torso, and ran his hands over his face and through his hair, pushing away the last remnants of sleep.

“Morning Alexander,” Magnus greeted him as he padded out of the bedroom. Before coffee Alec wasn’t much of a talker, but he acknowledged Magnus with a kiss to the back of his neck. He poured himself coffee and sat at the table, slowly drinking.

“Come to the Institute with me today?” Alec asked, drizzling syrup over his pancakes. “I have a few things that I need to get.”

Magnus grinned and drank his coffee. “Of course,” he answered. He was picturing the look he wanted Maryse to have on her face as he helped Alec collect his things, but had dealt with Maryse Lightwood enough to know that she would show no emotion whatsoever.

With breakfast finished and cleaned up they both showered and dressed, Magnus opting for an all black ensemble, complete with an old leather jacket of Alec’s. He ran his fingers through his hair, adding brilliantly bright turquoise streaks at the front.

“I thought I got rid of that jacket,” Alec looked a little surprised.

“You did. Rather large gaping demon slash went right through it.” Magnus nodded.

“How did you …” Alec started to ask but Magnus snapped his fingers and turned his hand over, a ball of blue whisps hovering in his palm. “Right.” Alec nodded.

It would have been quicker to portal to the Institute and get this all over and done with, but Magnus had suggested they walk. It was a beautiful spring morning and the time it took would perhaps temper any anxieties that threatened to build up in Alec. But as they got closer Magnus noticed that Alec showed no signs of nervousness. He was completely calm.

They entered the Institute and everyone stopped to look up at them, including Maryse. They paid no one any attention and marched further into the Institute, Magnus trailing Alec as he followed a familiar path to his bedroom.

There really wasn’t much to collect. Clothes, books, a few other odds and ends. As Alec had set everything out on the bed, Magnus’s hands had sparked with magic, each object vanishing and, Magnus knew, reappearing at the loft.

With the room empty save for the bed and the furniture the blue sparks at Magnus’s fingers dissipated and Alec took another quick glance around. “Alright, that’s it.”

“Not so fast,” Jace said, appearing in the doorway, Izzy and Clary on either side of him.

Alec rolled his eyes at his parabatai. “You act like I’m moving to a foreign country.” he teased and pulled Jace into a hug.

“I’m just wondering why it took you so long,” Jace shot back as he pulled away from the hug and gave Alec a playful punch to the arm. Alec hugged Clary and finally Izzy, holding on to her a little longer.

“You better go before, you know,” Izzy smiled up at him and Alec nodded.

Jace, Clary, and Izzy followed Alec and Magnus back out to the main hub of the Institute and Maryse abruptly excused herself from what she was doing and started toward them.

“Alec!” shouted a young boy. Maryse stopped short and Alec turned, crouching down to greet Max in a hug. Even though Max had grown, Alec was quite a bit taller still. “You’re really leaving?” Max asked.

“I’ll still be around I just won’t live here anymore. I promise you can come see me anytime.” Alec answered and Max nodded, looking over Alec’s shoulder at Magnus. Alec glanced over his shoulder, followed Max’s gaze and beckoned Magnus over.

Alec stood behind Max, his hands on his shoulders. “Magnus, this is my baby brother Max. And Max, this is my boyfriend Magnus.”

Magnus held out his hand to Max but Max just looked up at him. “You love Alec?” he asked and Magnus nodded, pulling his hand back.

“I do, yes.”

Max nodded and stepped forward, hugging Magnus around the middle instead. It took a second for the surprise to subside but Magnus hugged Max in return.

Alec’s eyes locked on his mother’s as she took the whole scene in and while outwardly she showed no emotion, inside Alec was sure she was fuming to see Max accept Magnus so willingly.

Max pulled away from Magnus and dashed over to Izzy. Alec and Magnus walked past Maryse without a word.

“Alec,” she warned and Alec stopped and turned to look at her for just a moment. He still said nothing, but he didn’t need to. His message was clear:  _ You shouldn’t have made me choose. _

Turning away from Maryse again, Alec and Magnus left the Institute.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Magnus meeting Max is complete and total self-gratifying wish fulfillment on my part.  
> My tumblr: http://blue-eyes-and-bow-and-arrows.tumblr.com


End file.
